In-year admissions -year 7 in middle school

[Teabaglady]

One of the areas that we are thinking of moving to, operates the middle-school system and therefore our year 7 child would be moving into the middle school which runs from Year 5-8, so half-way through the school. I am concerned that this will be more tricky than moving to a 'normal' secondary school in year 7 as in the middle school friendships will have had two years to develop already whereas in the secondary school, the year 7s have just started the school and friendships are still quite fluid - Hope that makes sense! Does anyone have any thoughts? I have also posted this in general education thread

My daughter has friends in her middle school who joined in year 6 & 7. They seemed to have fit in well. She does have a small group of very close/best friends which formed in their first year there (year 5) &, although none of the newer girls are in her best friend group, her larger friendship group does include the newer girls. At middle school, they do still have quite a few lessons as a class, i.e. not in sets, which means they form bonds within the class & which I think helps newcomers to make friends. They do move on to high school after year 8 so I know their friendship groups will change again. DS went to the same schools so I know the high school does tend to mix them up in their form group so they don't wind up with their friends from middle school anyway.